Packing tool



Sept. 28 1926.

H. A. MYERS ET AL PACKING TOOL Filed DeG. 17

. of and Suitable for use l() L oil wells, so, therefore,

under, various conditions.

.i a. 'nas or nunrmeron rami, AND Vmaman CALIFORNIA.

Aracxrrre roar..

anis? I' A. SCHMIDT, or sans.,

Application led December-117, 1923: Serial Np. 681,178. y

.This invention has to do with a packing vtool particularly useful in the drilling and handling of wells.

This invention has to general character set application entitled with a tool of the forth in our copending Packing tool, liled tool provided by this invention is capable in various waysand The tool is particularly useful in various, operations of drilling and handling wells, for instance,

We will herein explain typical applications of it to oil wells, it beingunderstood that such reference is merely to facilitate a clear understanding of the invention and is not to be understood described.

vention; f

as limiting or restricting its scope or range of application.

Itis an object of this invention to providea packing tool which will operate reliably and. eiiciently even under high pressure. a v

Another object of this invention is to provide a simple, effective and inexpensive construction for a tool of the character The various objects and features of our will be best and more ully understood lfrom the following detailed descri tionA of a typical form of the invention, t roughout which description reference is had to the ings, in whichr Fig. 1 is a longitudinal detailed sectional view, of a tool embodying our present in- Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional viewof the tool shown in Fig. 1, being a view taken as indicated by theline 2 2 on Fig.Y l;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the tool provided .by this invention in combination with a fishing tool, thel tool providedby the invention being shown in operative position packing the fishing tool and section of drill pipe engaged by it; l Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the tool of the present invention in operativeposition in combination with another type of fishing tool; l

Fig. .5 is a sectional View, showing the tool provided by this invention arranged at the upper end of a well casing so that 1t vcan be operated as a blowout preventer;

accompanying v draw- Fig. 6 is'a view similar to Fig. 5, showing w the and packing .the casing; and

Fig. 7 is a view Fig. 1, yshowing another October 20, 1923, lSerial No. 669,744.F The t ion.

The tool packing tool, and i suited ly work tool provided by this invention holding a tube which Jextends into n similar to a portion ofv form of construc- $0 provided by this invention is la s applicable to numerous being particularly for use to pack between twofrelativeing or moving loosely fitting parts or objects and being capable of packing andl passlng We will form -as pipes, tubings, rods,

objects of varlous sizes and herein disclose a typical preferred of our invention designed to handle and cooperate wit shapes.

h round members, such etc., and of such deslgn and proportions as to be applicable to several different change or alteration.

descrmtion of our typical apparent that it is of application and lar cases, be varied tails herein set fort-hb the circumstances used.

applications or sizes and uses without From the following T5 invention and ofal few uses of it,f it will be i capable of a wide range 4 Y that it may,- in particuor changed from the de- W1' to suit or conform to under which it is/to be The form of our invention illustrated in l the drawings includes, generally,

a flexible ble to grip or hol a body 10',

elastic packing 1l, means 12 for operating the packing,

and means 13 operad an object inthe tool.

The body 10 is an open ended tubular. mem'- ber preferably round figuration and pref fplece of material. proportioning Iand 10 depends, 1n any .the conditions and which the device is fore, subject to considerablef variation. is usually desirable to make in cross sectional contu erably formed of a singler The particular shape, construction of the body particular case, upon to be used, and is, there- It the body '10 as compact and simple as possible consistent with strength and reliability. In the ma form ofthe invention illustratedl in the drawin s the body 1 O is both externally and interna ly screw threaded at both ends so'L that it can have either end screw threaded into or onto 'another' member or tool 'and mey can have other. tools or members connected to both ends by internal or external screw threaded engageme nt. It willbe apparent,

circumsta ces under of course, that, if the present tool is to be embodied or incorporated in another tool or device as a unitary partl thereof, the body 10 maybe integral with or a continuation of a suitable part of the other tool.

The packing 11 is a flexible elastic acking mounted in the body 10. The padking is tubularhand, in the form of the invention illustrated in the drawings, its main portion is tapered so thatit is largerat one end than at the other. The packing 11 is connected by means of its larger end to the inside of the body 10 so that it is coaxial with the body and has its smaller end substantially removed longitudinally of the body from the point of connection with the body. The small end of the packingl is entirely free of the body so that it can be expanded as hereinafter described. In practice the packing rubber, and a lurality of operate with t 11 is designed and proportioned, partlcularly with reference to its length and diameters, so that it will bear or grip closely around the smallest object to be passed through the tool and will expand to pass the largest object to be passed through the tool. When the tool is to be used in connection with an oil well or the apparatus em loyed in drilling an oil well, as we will ereinafter describe, it is desirable that the acking 11 be designed and proportioned so t at it is suitable for handling or packing around a certain sized drill pipe or tubing and for passing, and, if necessary, packing around, the couplings, ool joints, and other parts'that are usually employed in connection with the drill pipe. l

In accordance with our invention the acking 11 includes, generally, a body 14 Ao rubber or other suitable material; a plurality of springs 15 in connection with the body of arms 16 that coe rubber.V The body of rubber 14 is more or less V-shaped and includes a main tapered cylindrical part A, a small substantially straight cylindrical part B extending from and formin a continuation of the smaller end of the main part A, and a large substantially straight cylindrical part C extending from the large end of the main part A in the direction of the small end of the main part, or, in other words, in the same direction as the small cylindrical part. We will refer to the small cylindrical part of the rubber as the packing part, and to the large cylindrical part as the sealing part. f' The mam part A of Y the rubber is arranged in the body 10 so that its large end engages a shoulder 10l formed in the body 10. The packing part B of the body of rubber is lntegral with the main part A and operates to engage or pack around an object arranged through the tool. vThe sealing part C is preferably integral with the main part A and operates to engage the inner wall 17 of the body 10 to make a tight joint between the packing and body. 'lhe sealing part C is preferably proportioned so that it is somewhat compressed or contracted when in position in the body 10, and, therefore, bears outwardly against the inner Wall of the body to make a tight joint with the body, and also hold the body of rubber in place in the body 10.

rlhe springs 15, which, in practice, may vary widely in number and strength, are preferably embedded in the body of rubber. The springs-are V-shaped leaf springs embodied or embedded in the body of rubber so that each has one leg extending into the main part A and the other into the sealing part (3. The springs 15 are preferably designed and proportioned so that they are somewhat compressed when the packing is in its normal unactuated condition, and, therefore, operate to exert an outward pressure on the sealing part C and thus aid it in bearing tightly against the body 10 and exert an inward pressure on the main part A. The legs of the springs 15 may extend completely through the main part A and project into or through they packing part B. When thus extended the springs 15 operate to more or less'reenforce andaid the packing part B in its operation.

The arms 16 are located at the inner Vpart of or within the main part A of the body of rubber and are operable to move or swing outwardly, as will be hereinafter described. The arms maybe constructed and mounted in various ways in order to operate in the desired manner, it being preferred in most cases to construct them in the formi of springs and to fix and rigidly connect them to the body 10 at the large end of the main part A of the body'of rubber. In Figs. 1, 3, 1, 5, and G,- of the drawings we have illustrated the arms as carried in suitable sockets or openings provided in the body 10. In Fig. 7 'of the drawings we show another manner of mounting the arms. In this form of construction the arms may be rigid; they are pivotally connected with the body 10 by means of tabs 90 which project from their inner ends and are loosely carried in openings 91 provided in the body. The arms are preferably shaped and proportioned so that their adjacent edges join or come together when the packing is in its normal position causing the arms to completely cover and protect the inner side of the main part of the body of rubber. The arms protect the main part of the rubber against injury by objects passing through the tool and also brace or reenforce it so that it is not forced out of shape by pressure applied to it.

The means 12 provided for operating the packing 11 is operable to expand the packing and hold it expanded. In its preferred form this means includes a ring 25 screw threadedinto the body so that it can be operated to engage the arms 16 to spread or move them outwardly and thereby cause spreading or expansion of the body of rubber'. The ring 25 is preferably made large in diameter so that it does not interfere with passage o f objects through the tool and so that it engages the arms comparativelylose to where they connect with the body 10. ln theform of the invention illustrated in the drawings the springs 15,'in extending able tapered seat seat 31 is provided in the ring carried by the screw holding an object into the packing part B of the body of rubber, cause expansion of thepacking part vwhen the arms are operated to expand the main part. In the form of the invention illustrated in the drawings thev ring is threads provided-at the end of the body 10, and is provided with an extension 25a that projects inwardly longitudinallyof thebody to engage the arms 16.

The means 13 provided for gripping and arranged in the tool may include a plurality. ofwedge members or slips adapted to be arranged in a suit- 31. In the form of the invention illustrated in the drawings the being extendedv beyond the 'body 10 .and enlarged somewhat `for this purpose. The slips'30 are carried in the seat 31 so that they operate to grip an object inthe manner usual t0 slips commonly employed in drilling wells. Although the seatvv 31 may be inthe 'body 10 it is desirformed ldirectly able, and, in most cases; preferable,- to form it in the, ring 25,01', at least, ina ring or part separate from the body so that this partof the'tool can be entirely detached y the tool.

and removed if desired. By providing the seat 31 in the ring 25, which is operable to actuate the packing, the tool is'made simpe, the number of parts minimized, and the packing actuating means and object holding means are operable independentlyv and are removable from the other parts of From the foregoing description of the onstruction of the tool .it is believed that its utility readi y apparent; however, we wil herein a few typical applications `or uses.

tool vin connection with a lishing tool such as is employed to'remove drill pipe, and the like, from wells. In Fig. 3 we have ilustrated the tool in connection with an overthe overshot and the drill pipe 41 caught by the overshot. When used in this connection the ring 25 is removed. A The overshot 40 is of the usual construction and includes a tubular body l42 carrying upwardly and in wardly extending spring members 43 whlch will .pass downwardly over couplings and 25, the .ring s and possible applications will bel the object operates to pack between tool joints-of the drill pipe but will engage under a coupling-or tool joint of thedrill pipe, upon being drill pipe. When used in this connection the present tool is preferably attached to the moved upwardly on the lower end of the overshot with the packing extending upwardly, and may, if so desired, be provided at its lower end with a guide shoe 44, which guide shoe is ordinarily mounted on the lower end of the overshot. As the overshot is lowered downwardly through the' well casing 45 the guide shoe directs the piece of drill pipe 41 through the tool provided by our invention and into the overshot. As the tool passes downwardly over the couplings or tool joints in connection with the drill pipe the packing 11 is expanded, by the couplings or joints engage ing the arms 16, to all applied to the tool. The sealing pan-law,

makes a fluid-tight joint between the packing and body 10 as pressure applied to the tool urges or: holds it out against the body and prevents leakage between the packing and body. The pressure applied wardly'through the pipe carrying the over;

vshotis, in practice, often very great as it is desirable, infact, sometimes necessary, to force circulation downwardly through the pipe caught by the overshot in order-.to `dis lodge it. With the construction provided by the present invention the pressure thus applied does not'tend to but as it is increased tends to make the packing tighter. Pressure applied toA the tool provided by our kinvention forces thepart B of the packing inwardly against or part extending through the tool and forces the part C outwardly against -the `body 10, making both connections particularly tight and effective. It is tobe noted that the tool provided by our invention, when employed in the manner just instead of being an overshot, is a tap 50, con-p nected to the lower end of a suitable pipe 51 ow their passage. When the overshot has caught the drill pipe pipe y pipe by the pressure fluidleak past the tool prevented `from packs around the drill ceives the pipe 41 to pack the tap with the downwardly and adapted to screw thread into the brokenod pipe 41. The tool provided by our invention is connected with the tap, in the present case through a suitable coupling or extension 60, so that it extends over or -repipe 41 in much the same manner as we described above. This application of our invent-ion will illustrate that it applicable to fishing tools of various kinds and types and that it may be connected with the lishing tools in various manners, for instance, di-r rectly, as is the case of the overshot, and indirectly, as in the case of the' tap.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings we have ,shown the tool provided by our invention mounted on the upper end of a well casing' where it will pass the drilling tools into and out of the well. vWhen used in this manner the tool is arranged so that the packing 11 extends so that it is operable to prevent or check blowing out between the drill pipe and well casing. When used in this connection the ring 25 is preferably employed and is operated to normally hold the packing 11 expanded so that' the drilling tools can normally be passed into and out of the casing without engaging or being interfered with by the'packing. `When there is au indication of blowing out tools the ring 25 can be very easily and quickly actuated or rotated to release the packing sothat the packing engages the drilling tools and is in position to effectively check the blowing out. When used as a blowout preventer, or in a like situation, the body of the tool may be provided with openings through which pressure maybe relieved if so desired. i The openings 7 0 may normally be closed by suitable plugs 71.

InFig. 6 of the drawings we have illustrated the tool in use on the top of a well casing to pack aroundband hold a pump casing through which a sucker rod 81 may operate..- The ring 25 is preferably positioned so that the packing is released and operates to pack around the casing 80. In a situation of this kind the means 13 may be employed to hold or support the pump casing 80. The slips 30 are arranged in the seat 31` and operate to grip and hold the casing 80 in the manner usual to slip devices.

From the foregoing brief descriptions of typical applications of ourpresent tool it will be apparent that it is useful in various manners and under various conditions in a well, atl the top of a well, and in numerous other situations. The present tool is useful in various operations about a well, for instance, in connection with numerous fishing operations, during pumping, cleaning, cementing, etc.

Having described only a typical preferred 'form of our invention We do not wish to limit ourselves to the speciic details hereinabove those skilled in the art or fall between the casing and drilling ,having a part in connection withl set forth but wish to reserve to ourselves any changes or variations that may appear to within the scope of the following claims.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. A tool of Lthe character described including, a body, a tapered tubular packing carriedin the body, and means tightly connecting the body andpacking including a sealing part extending frornlthe large end of the packing and arranged so that it bears tightly out against the bodylby virtue of its shape.

2. A tool of the character described including, a body, a tapered tubular Ypacking carried by the body, and a sealing part projecting from the packing and positioned to be forced outwardly against the body by pressure applied to rthe tool and normally bearing outwardly against the body 'by virtue of its shape.

3. A tool of the character described including, a' body, packing means carried by the body and including, a tapered tubular part, a sealing part extending from the tubular part and adapted to engage the body, and a s ring in ,connection with said parts urging t e scaling part against the body.

4. A tool of the character described including, a body, packing means carried by the body and including a tapered tubular part and lsealing part extending from the tubular part and adapted to engage the body, and springmeans in connection with the sealing part urging it into engagementA body, the sealing part being of a different size than the part it engages gages said part with pressure.

6. A 'tool of the character described includino', a body, a tapered tubular packing carried in the body, a sealing. part extending from the packing and engaging the body, anda plurality of springs in connection with the packing and seal-ing part each spring the packing and a part in' connection with the sealing part. y

7. A tool of the character described including, a body, a tapered tubular packing carried in the body, a sealing part extending from theV packing and engaging the body, and a plurality the packing and sealing part each spring so that it enhaving a part embedded in the packing and a of springs in connection with V-shaped and having one side vembedded in the packing and the other side embedded in the sealing part.

9. A tool of the character'described including, a body, packing meanscarried in the body including a tapered tubular part and ra substantially straighttubular part extending from the small end of the tapered part, a plurality of springs extending between and connected with the two parts of the packing, and a plurality of arms at the inner sideof the tapered part of the packing.

10. A tool ofthe character described including, a body, packingmeans carried by the body including a tapered tubular part, a

l substantially straight tubular part vextendconnection with the tubular ing from the small end Vof* the tapered part,

a plurality of springs extending from ther tapered part into the substantially'straight part, and a plurality of outwardly movable arms at the inner side ofthe tapered part.

11. A toolof the character described including, a body, packing means carried by the body including a tapered tubular part, a substantially straight tubular part extending from the small end of the tapered part, and a substantially straight tubular part extending from the large end of the tapered partand engaging the body, a pluralityof springs in connection with the packing each spring beihg V-shaped and having a part in from the large end of the tapered part and having a part in connection with .the tapered part and extending into the substantially Straight part that extends from the small end of the tapered part, and a plurality of outwardly movable arms at the inner side of the tapered part. 12. A tool ofthe character described in,- cluding, a body, a tapered tubular expansible packing carried by the body to normally operatively engage an object arranged in' the body, and means carried by the body operable to expand the packing so that it does not engage an object arranged in the body.

13. A tool of cluding, a body, a tapered tubular expansible packing carried by the body, and means carried by the body operable to expand the packin and releasably hold it expanded.

14. tool of the character described including, a body, a tapered tubular expansible packing carried by the' body, and a screw 'member operable to expand thel packing.

15. A tool-v of the character described including, a body, a tapered tubular expansible packing carried screw threaded to the body and operable to engage and expand the packing.

16. A tool of the character described including, a'. body, a tapered tubularI expansi-J part extending' the character described in-V bythe body, and a member and a ring ble packing carried by the body,

operable to screw threaded to the body and l'the body to be operable to move the arms outwardly to cause expansion of the packing.

19. A tool of the character described including, a body, a tapered'tubular expansiblepacking carried by the body, a plurality of outwardly movable arms engaging the inner side of the packing, ,the adjacent edges of the arms abutting when the packing is in its .normal position, and a member carried by the body to be operable to move the arms outwardly. w

20. A tool of the character described including, a body, a tapered expansible packing carried by the body, a member connected with the body to be detachable therefrom and operable to expand the packing.

21. A tool 'of the character described including, a body,

pack around an object arranged through the body, and slip means detachably connected with the. body and adapted to support an object in the body, the slip means including a ring screw threaded to the body and slips carried by the ring. f

22. :A tool of the character described including, a body, aftapered tubular expansible packing carried by the body. a ring screw threaded to the body so that it is operable to engage) and expand the packing, and means carried by the ring to support an object in the body. l

23. A tool of the character described including, a body, a tapered tubular expansible packing carried inthe body and adapted to pack around an object arranged through the body, a lring having a screw threaded connection with the body so that it is op- S a tapered tubular expansi- `ble packing carried by the body adapted to engage and expand the packing, the inside` erable to engage and expand the packing,

, and slips adapted to vbe carried in the seat arranged in the body,

` In witness that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto subscribed our names this 4th day of December, 1923.

HERBERT A.'SCHMIDT. HERMAN A'. `MYERS. 

